Inverno [English translation]

The fog is rising on snowy mounds,

as does a cypress on burial grounds;

a hazy-looking, tall church belfry

marks out the border between earth and sky.

But you are leaving, why don’t you stay:

the snow’ll be gone in just one day,

past happiness will bloom once more

when warmer winds in Summer soar.

And even light looks dead and glum

in the faint shadow of times to come,

where even dawn is growing dull

and every face is a waxen skull.

But you are leaving, why don’t you stay:

you’ll see, the snow will die away,

we’ll love once more, we won’t be sour,

in that blithe season of wild mayflower.

The weary land beneath the snow

is sleeping quietly in its deep woe,

and Winter reaps toil and travail

since ancient times of weep and wail.

But you who linger, why are you staying?

Another Winter will soon be preying,

more snow will fall to console this field,

to a frosty Winter you can’t but yield.